A Different Kind of Alone
by kiralopolis0305
Summary: Lara runs out of the Endurance, leaving Alex behind. Another friend gone. She fights against Himiko and defeats her, leaving the island a deeply changed person. Unknown to her, Alex is alive and learning to survive as Lara copes with her grief. In the midst of all of this, something strange is happening within Sam. Rated M for language, gore and sexual content.
1. Liberation

It was raining. The wind lashed and whipped against the strong metal of the Endurance, which was now split right down the middle. The pitter pattering of the rain hitting the ship was calming, but felt disruptive in the present situation. Gunshots were heard in the distance followed by multiple explosions from different sources.

Alex was sitting on a grated floor, his leg crushed underneath an enormous metal pipe. His skin was ripped open and revealed bone. A flap of thick skin was folded right beneath his kneecap. Burning sensations shot up and down his shin. He cried out.

"Oh, God! Help!" He lamented. He looked down at his leg. Blood climbed up his leg. He leaned forward and tried to grip his leg to make the anguish end, but it wouldn't end. The pain began to crescendo and he replied with cries of agony. Oh, the pain. Oh God the pain makeitstopmakeitstopmakeitstop. A voice interrupted his crying and a glimmer of hope shined within him.

"Alex, are you in here?" said a voice. That can't be who he thinks it is, is it? Lara? It just might be.

"Lara! I'm down here!" He cried. Alex tried to lift himself up but his leg told him to sit back down.

"Come on... Come on..." He said to his leg, trying to pry it from underneath the metal. By doing this, he tore the flap of skin back even more.

"Agh. Goddammit! Ow, fuck!" He yelled. There was no point, anymore. He was staying right there. "_Why, why, why, WHY!_" He thought to himself. He heard that voice again.

"Alex?!" Lara called. From the shadows she emerged. For only a moment he had forgotten the pain and gazed at her. He stared at her face. Even the blood splatters seemed unable to hide her beauty.

Lara was the type of woman that you never forgot about once you saw her. Although her beauty was undeniable, that wasn't what caught Alex's eye. It was the way she carried herself. Her chin was held high despite all the odds and problems that weighed on her shoulders. Combine that with all her beauty and, man, you've got yourself quite the lady.

On top of that, she had the kind of curves that would make a guy want to scream. And that face. Oh, that gorgeous face. Her features were carved thoroughly, as if God pushed every human being to the side and spent all his time on her. And those eyes were so grey and reminded Alex of rain clouds. He used to hate the rain before he met her. Overall, she was gorgeous.

"Lara! What are you doing here?" He shouted to her.

"What's going on?" she asked, concerned. She trudged through the water and approached the blocked doorway that separated the two. Alex tried to lean forward a little, but sat back again after resistance.

"I'm pinned down here... Doesn't look too good." And it didn't. Muscle and bone were showing. He gripped the grated floor.

He watched Lara use her arrow and rope to pull a heavy machine across the tracked ceiling. An obstruction blocked the machine from bursting through the doorway.

"Dammit," she muttered. "The track's blocked!" He heard her mumbling to herself as she processed just how to get him out. She fired her arrow at the machine and pulled it around the track in different directions. After pulling it a few times, she mounted a ladder on the side and used her weight to push it forward. Alex watched her climb into an entrance above the ceiling.

"_Please don't go..._" he thought. He needed her now more than ever. One part of him didn't want her to waste his time. The other wanted her to hurry up and get him out of here so he could at least be less than 30 feet away from her. But he couldn't be selfish. It was his fault he was here, after all...

"Lara, I'm sorry for dragging you into this mess. I don't know what I was thinking coming out here." He sinckered in hysterical exhaustion. "I thought I could be the star in my own goddamned action movie. Guess it doesn't work out like that."

Lara replied with repetitive kicks to some sort of metal object followed by a thunderous crash that resonated throughout the room. "Okay," Lara breathed. "Got it." Alex was relieved, but only slightly. His leg was singing grand opera at this point. He looked at the gun in his hand and thought how much easier things would be if he just ended it right now. Both for him, and for Lara. But he was too close to give up now.

"Great...Good job... So sleepy..." His voice quited as he finished the sentence. His vision began to go black at the edges. Alex closed his eyes. He needed rest, if only for a minute. He heard Lara call his name, but his hearing began to fade.

Alex must have fallen asleep, because when he looked up, he saw Lara there in front of him. She kneeled down in front of him. Oh, those eyes. He was finally able to see them more clearly again and couldn't help but smile. If he was going to die, at least this would be the last thing he saw. She smiled with pity at him.

"Oh, Alex..." she whispered. Tears began to form in her eyes and Alex silently pleaded that she wouldn't cry. She looked at Alex's hand and smiled when she saw his success.

"You got the tools," Lara observed. Despite the pain, Alex cracked a smile.

"Finally," he grinned. "I impress you." Lara's expression changed from pleasant to serious.

"Let's get you out of here," she said as she attempted to pull the pipe from his leg. He cried out as it scraped against revealed muscle. If he got out of this, he prayed he could walk correctly. Maybe not... Lara's hands retracted and she apologized.

Alex smiled. "Looks like my dance career's over... Ha ha..."

Suddenly a bullet flew past their heads, and their moment was over.

"We got her!" A Solarii shouted as he fired his gun at them from above. Lara and Alex ducked behind some debris. Alex shot at an oil drum next to the men and an explosion threw them to the floor. Lara shot a look at him, almost glaring.

"What are you doing? You'll kill us!" Lara shouted. Another explosion rattled the room. Alex knew at that moment that his fate was sealed.

"I'm not gonna make it out of here, Lara. Take the tools," he pleaded.

"Not without you," she argued. Alex felt a warmth forming in his chest. He checked for a wound. Nothing. Maybe it was her. He smiled. "How often does a guy like me get to be a hero?" he joked.

More bullets flew past them, just barely missing. Lara dodged and threw herself next to Alex and he fired at them, not sure if he hit them or not. "_Is this it?_" he thought. If so, he had better give her the tools.

He held them out to her.

"Nowhere to run!" A voice shouted. Dumb bastards didn't know when to quit.

"The others are counting on us," he pleaded again. And held his hand further out to her. She shook her head.

"Go!" he shouted with exasperation. Lara shook her head again and again.

"Now," he said much more calmly. More bullets. For just a second longer, Lara hesitated. Quickly, she leaned in and planted a gentle kiss on his cheek and ran off with the tools. Alex shot at the remaining Solarii and watched Lara sprint out of the room and slam the door on her way out.

And now, he was alone. He fired again and again. It was time to end this. He pointed his pistol at another oil drum and its explosion killed off the rest of them. Alex cringed as another explosion dislodged his leg from the force of the pipe. He was free, but the door was locked.

"Alex!" Lara lamented from the other side of the door. But he didn't respond. He will respond as soon as things settle down. As quickly as he could, Alex limped to another side of the room, where another door stood. He charged into the door and opened it with all of his weight. Here, he was in a hallway that was split apart from its crash into the island. Below him an angry sea thrashed and roared as the storm controlled its every emotion.

All he could think about was Lara. She kissed him. He never thought he would see the day. And now that he was free, he was determined to see that day again.

Without a second thought, he plunged into the sea and swam to the surface. He searched around for anything to grab, and saw an overturned lifeboat. With the last bit of strength he could muster, he swam with the current to the boat and grasped it at the middle. He lay his head down on the damp wood and, despite the gunfire and explosions, he fell asleep as the storm calmed.

It seemed that the Sun Queen, or whatever she was, was feeling merciful today.


	2. Remorse

Lara looked across the hall, holding back tears to keep a level head. Now was not the time. She needed to hurry back to the others. Looking down at the tools just one last time, she stored them away in her pocket.

Some distance away from her, a rope led from one half of the Endurance to the other. The Solarii were clearly efficient and quick in their work, which revealed that they had been there for quite some time. "It is amazing," Lara thought, "That building new machinery and ways to maneuver from one end to the other has become second nature."

She jumped forward and clutched the rope. Using her ascender, she began to soar to the other side. Wind whipped at her hair and made it slightly difficult to breathe, but the thrill of almost flying diminished that feeling almost entirely. The thrill felt very familiar. And whilst searching that familiarity, an image of Alex appeared in her mind. So that was when she felt it.

Discarding her intrusive thoughts, she released her grip on the rope and landed into the Endurance. After landing, she allowed one last thought of Alex to climb into her mind. She turned and watched a few explosions rattle the ship behind her and it disappeared under the depths of the sea. Then, after feeling every ounce of animosity swell within her core, she uttered, "I can't let anyone else die."

She ran to the deck of the ship and glared at the now deceased barbaric man who attempted to rip her apart. The wind wafted the smell of blood and sweat into her nostrils, and her stomach lurched. Even though she had encountered this smell many times, it will never desensitize her for as long as she will live.

Climbing to the top, she ran to another rope and climbed (or flew, rather) across it to a building at the top of a rocky cliff. The only way in was underneath the building. After firing a rope arrow at a large metal object on top of the building, she pulled it down onto the fragile ground below her. It broke apart like you would break an eggshell from the force.

Lara jumped into the pit and found herself standing in some sort of old base. A dusty, leather bound book caught her eye and she picked it up and flipped through its yellowed pages.  
"Old logbooks," she whispered as she skimmed its content. It appeared that it was written by a member of the wartime intelligence.

_Months of excavation has at last yielded new information concerning the weather patterns gripping this island. The tomb of an important general dating from the Kamakura period was discovered in our coastal dig site._

_This discovery is the missing piece of the puzzle. It will allow us to finally gain control of the storms._

"Ancient ruins in the old base? Control over the storms?" she rambled. "I need answers," Lara complained. This island has left her with endless questions and few answers. What did they mean by controlling the storms? Is such a thing even possible?

She ran to a rusted door and used all of her might to pry open the door with her pick. It flung open, and she headed into the next room and jumped to the ground.

This area was completely covered in dust and dirt. Shards of glass littered the floor and they crunched when Lara stepped on them. Ivy climbed the walls and flowers bloomed randomly all over the room.

There was not much here besides some salvage and debris. The floor above her must have collapsed, because the ground was littered with rubble.

Lara had a sort of fondness for urban decay. Though not entirely ancient, these buildings had their own histories. She imagined some soldiers taking notes on the supernatural events of Yamatai while others smoked cigarettes and played cards. But where had they all gone? Were they killed by the storms while trying to escape? After what has happened, the thought seemed plausible.

She crawled into an opening between the rooms. Lara was never one for such strenuous exercise. A simple jog would be nothing to her, but this constant running and vaulting made her legs begin to tremble and seem like they were going to buckle at any moment.

Slowly, she crawled her way into a room with an old inoperable turret gun. It was rusted and wouldn't move despite how much Lara pushed on it.

_"Why would the soldiers feel the need for turrets?" _Lara thought. "_Perhaps there were hostile Solarii back then, too?" _

If she were to receive an answer, it would not assist her. Finding a way off of this island would be much more useful.

Lara felt close to her destination and headed out of the base. She was now at the foot of a cliff. She fired a rope arrow at the course rock across an enormous gap and climbed over waterfalls to the other side.

Thankfully, she was welcomed by a warm campfire when she landed. She rubbed her arms and legs, hoping that the friction would help eliminate her goosebumps. Lara lay on her back and felt watched the sky above her.

The clouds that passed by were downcast and dark. A gray blanket stretched from horizon to horizon and seemed to never leave. Lara preferred this than the enraged and electric storm that surged over Yamatai.

What Lara would prefer over anything else, was a grease covered cheeseburger. Or perhaps a juicy filet mignon. Not some deer meat or freshly killed island bird. No, she needed something that would stick to her ribs and make her stomach cease its constant complaining, as it was doing now. To fend off feelings of hunger, Lara closed her eyes. If only for a minute or two.

She unexpectedly fell asleep despite the noisy waterfall just behind her. And she dreamt of Alex. She wasn't sure what the dream was, exactly. But all she could remember was his image; not bloody or battered.

Lara must have only slept for a minute or two, because when she awoke, the sky was no darker than before and had barely changed. She stood up and stretched her quivering muscles, which were now beginning to start feeling sore.

She ran through a path between rocky foothills and stopped suddenly when her feet were greeted by sand. Immediately she recognized where she was: The shipwreck beach. The others had to be here. Overcome with hope and adrenaline, she ran to a rope that led to a higher cliff.

When she was halfway up, she heard rugged voices. _Solarii._

_"Shit,"_ she thought, and hid behind a tree.

"No arguments. Get your shit together, we head out in ten," one of them said.

"That place is a fucking deathtrap," said another.

"Yeah, maybe the perfect place for some escaped prisoners to hide out?" the first said.

"If they went there, they're probably already dead," said the other.

Lara grabbed her handgun and shot a silent Solarii who was a distance away from the ones who were conversing. Staying low to the ground, she leaped to where they were. Fortunately, they were turned around and watching the beach. Slowly, steadily, she reached for her pick and cleaved his skull as violently as she could and kicked him free from the pick. Just as the other turned around, she greeted him with a blow from her pick. Blood spewed from their heads and splattered against Lara's clothes.

She exhaled. Murdering another human would never be something she did for enjoyment. But here, it was either kill or be killed. Lara preferred the former. With that being said, she ran away from the bodies and jumped to another rope, leading to the sandy beach.

She glided freely, and loved the wind that rushed past her. She smiled slightly, forgetting the situation for just a moment. The moment she hit the ground, she ran toward a campfire she could see in the distance.

Lara could see the crew and slowed down to a half jog when she approached the fire. When Reyes approached her, Lara's smile dropped. With guilt jabbing at her heart, she handed Reyes the tools and went to sit.

"Lara!" Sam exclaimed as she limped toward her.

"When we heard the explosion, we thought..." Dr. Whitman began.

"Alex?" Sam asked, despite the answer being very clear to everyone.

"He was still on the ship," Lara said painfully. Reyes prowled around and perched on an old log, glaring.

"Seems anyone caught with you has a pretty low survival rate," she hissed.

"Reyes!" Jonah said, shocked.

Lara was angered by Reyes' remark but understood the source of her hostility. After all, Lara was with Roth when he died. Pain just didn't seem to go away. But still, Lara would not be talked down to.

"Better keep your distance then," she countered.

"Let's just eat okay?" Jonah pleaded. "Those bastards went quiet, but that doesn't mean they're going to stay that way. If I'm going to die in this place, I'm not going to do it hungry," he stated, waving his cooked fish at them.

They ate together in silence, the tension unwavering. Lara's thoughts were too preoccupied to notice it. She nibbled at her fish without looking up from the ground. When they were done, they rested with satisfaction in their bellies.

"Save a man's stomach, save his soul," Jonah said while patting his big stomach.

"Finally, a little positivity!" Dr. Whitman observed. "Once Reyes finishes the boat, we'll be back to civilization in no time. And what a tale we'll have to tell." Lara wanted to spit in his face.

"A tale?" Sam scoffed. "I hope I never hear Himiko's name again."

"We can take the boat out a high tide," Reyes suggested.

"No, we can't," Lara said solemnly.

"Don't start that bullshit again Lara!" Reyes objected.

"Lara isn't the only one who thinks we're trapped, Reyes," Sam said. "Matthias may be insane, but he was certain about it. I saw it in his eyes." Lara smiled and was relieved at the defense she received.

"He thinks resurrecting Himiko is the key to getting off this island," Dr. Whitman added.

"God," Sam sighed. "It sounds crazy. But this whole place is crazy."

"These storms aren't natural," Lara stated. "We have to face that."

Jonah nodded in agreement. "She's right. When that storm hit the Endurance, I felt it..." His eyes became sullen. "Something dark... Something alive... This place is cursed."

At that moment, Lara knew what she had to do. Answers were somewhere Matthias was and she needed them more desperately than ever. She stood up and began to walk away. Sam stood up as well.

"Where are you going?" Sam asked, concerned.

"There are ruins in that old base in the cliffs," Lara explained. "Something in there led them to believe they could control the storms. I've got to find out what they discovered."

"Once we're ready to leave, we're leaving," Reyes said bitterly. "Whether you're back or not."

"I won't leave without you," Sam promised. Lara nodded and walked away from the campfire.

It was clear what her mission was. Lara no longer felt fear, just determination. It was her fault they were here on this island, and her fault that Roth and Alex were dead. "_And dammit_," Lara thought. "_I will fix this. All of it." _Holding back tears after realizing the consequences of her actions, she ran from the campfire and headed back toward the cliffs.


	3. Endurance

**EDIT: I would like to apologize to anyone who has been waiting for an update. Writer's block hit me really hard, as well as finals! Thank you so much for your patience. **

The wind howled and screeched in the night sky. Alex shivered as the wind caressed him with an unwelcoming and bitter cold. He felt his teeth chatter. He floated peacefully in the calm waters as they also hugged him but they seemed to have a frigidness to their embrace.

Alex pulled himself over the keel of the boat until his stomach rested on it. Twice, his hands slipped and he nearly fell back into the ocean, but he managed to keep his grip strong and steady. As he was floating, his mind began to float as well.

His thoughts were clouded with thoughts of Lara. He couldn't bring himself to focus on anything else. He looked to the shore of Yamatai, but couldn't see the wreckage and debris that were scattered along the sand, the entrails of various boats ripped apart by the hands of the storms. Alex treasured this moment of peace as images of Lara danced in his mind.

He remembered her scent, surpassing the stench of blood, rust, and gunfire. It was a scent that was sweet and welcoming. He wondered what she did that made her smell so lovely despite nature's wrath striking her at every chance it had. Did she wear perfume? No, too girly. Maybe shampoo.

As Alex pondered the cause of Lara's captivating aroma, he felt his feet skid across sand. The boat met the shore, and his floating was brought to a halt. Alex put weight on his now dominant leg, pushed the boat away from him, and limped to shore.

There was not much to be said about the beach. This part of the island seemed abandoned. Alex wondered if the Solarii hadn't found any use for this area's resources. He prayed he would find something that would help him survive this isolated prison.

Alex hobbled to an open area where he stumbled-both literally and metaphorically- into a pile of dead branches. He regained his balance and tried to sit down slowly, but ended up falling on his ass. He landed into the sand with a harsh "Oof!".

"Well, this is kind of nice," Alex breathed. "I'm not a fan of the chafing that's gonna happen soon but still, nice." Alex looked at the pile of branches and slid his backpack off onto the ground. After unzipping it, he fished out a notebook, a zippo lighter, and a spare T-Shirt. He wrestled to strip his favorite-now soaking wet-shirt from his back, which was also drenched in saltwater. Although the new one wasn't as dry as he wanted it to be, it felt warmer and was a better alternative to the "Esc." one. He slipped it on.

He held is lighter to the pile and struck the flint. A spark flew and the gas emitting from it ignited.

"Hallelujah!" He exclaimed hysterically as he ripped pages from the notebook and threw them into the pile. He held the lighter to the paper and wood and watched them glow to an orange color. As the fire attached to the paper, he blew onto it and watched it ignite. Alex sat back and sighed, feeling the warmth, the only welcoming thing he'd felt in a while. Besides that kiss.

Alex realized now was as good a time as any to tend to his wounds. He grabbed a stick about the length of his shin, and held it to his calf. Realizing he had no bandages, he reluctantly grabbed the wet shirt and wrung it out. The sand darkened as it thirstily absorbed the water.

"Sorry buddy. We've been through a lot, but I need you for something else now." Alex ripped off a large piece of the shirt and wrapped it around the tender skin and twig behind his calf. He tied it tightly, and exhaled in pain.

"Isn't much, but I guess it'll do for now." He said, disappointed. Lara flashed in his mind again.

"Holy shit," he said. "Does Lara even know that I'm alive..?" He laughed. "If not, this'll be one _hell_ of a surprise."

He lay on his back and heard a strange bubbling sound, immediately realizing it was his stomach.

"Well shit, this can't wait," he said, and sat up. He buried his face in his palms and realized something was missing.

"My glasses are gone. I never really believed I needed those anyway," he decided. He stood up, realizing that things could, and definitely _would_ get worse before they got better.

The beach led to a wooded area that seemed to have little activity. Alex thought maybe he could find food. _Maybe. _He threw on his backpack and held his lighter in his right hand. With it, he was able to see more clearly. He walked into the woods. It was a slow trip, not because of his injuries, but because he felt like he was heading toward certain death.

The forest was extremely dense and a fog had settled onto it. Leaves and tiny rocks crunched beneath his feet. Tree stumps and pieces of scrap metal within indicated it had been previously used, but not much. Cliffs bordered the dense forest, but climbing them would be impossible. He continued walking, letting the dim light of the lighter guide him. He stepped on something soft and nearly fell.

When he turned, he saw his obstacle. A human carcass, looked to be beaten senseless until the person had died. In his hand was a makeshift bow, and a quiver slung over his back. The smell was horrid.

Alex gagged as he pried the bow from the body's decaying, crackling hands, and took the quiver as well. After realizing he couldn't carry the backpack and the quiver, he decided to grab what he needed most: His wallet, the pictures inside it, his lighter, and his pocket knife. He stuffed the items in his pockets.

"Guess I have to travel light," he said to himself, and dropped his backpack to the ground and slid the quiver over his back, along with the bow. He held the lighter out in front of him as he struggled to see better. The trees filtered less light, as it seemed there was no moon in the sky to guide him.

The sudden sound of a twig snapping caused Alex to jump. He extinguished the flame. The rustle of leaves made Alex's spine stiffen and he slowly drew his bow. He prayed it wouldn't be a predator, or worse, Solarii. He gripped the bow as he loaded an arrow onto it.

_I really hope gaming experience with this thing will be enough. I don't do this shit on a daily basis, _Alex thought. He carefully turned as he watched for any sudden movements, careful not to startle it if it was food, also careful not to bring attention to himself if it wanted him as prey. The wait for any movement seemed like an eternity. Alex could hear his heartbeat in his ears and goosebumps rose on his arms.

A blurry silhouette came into his field of vision; it was too small to be human. Alex raised his bow with an arrow pinched between his index and middle finger and pulled back. He could see shades of brown in its fur.

_Deer. _

Alex aimed right behind its shoulder blade and released the arrow.

And missed. The deer yelped and ran as fast as its thin legs could carry.

"Fuck, fuck, fuck," he cursed nervously and attempted to run after it. His leg began to sing, and he ignored it. Damn, was he hungry.

Alex equipped another arrow and drew it back as he saw the deer slow down. He released again and missed yet again.

"God dammit!" He shouted as he watched the deer ran off. He began to turn around when he saw a wild boar clumsily wandering the forest, as if nothing had just happened.

"One more time," he whispered. "Please." He drew the arrow back and fired. It pierced the animal's flesh with no resistance. It stumbled and tried to escape, but it was injured Alex was too quick in defiance of his condition. It fell onto its side and watched its predator approach him, ready for his fate. It stared at him with wide eyes. Alex felt a twinge of guilt, but his stomach persisted.

He brought out his pocket knife and jammed it into the boar's gut, slicing it's belly. Blood splattered onto his hands but he ignored it, too hungry to notice the gore. He retrieved the flesh and headed back to his campfire, feeling victorious.

Alex roasted the meat and could smell it's pleasing aroma, relieved that it didn't stink. He quickly headed to the ocean and rinsed his hands thoroughly. Then he headed back to camp. As it cooked in the warm fire, he thought about Lara again. It seemed he could not remove her from his mind.

He wondered how he would get to her and what would happen if he did. Should he kiss her? Maybe he should ask first. Then again, Alex wouldn't really choose this place for a date. At that very moment, he decided that the moment he left the island, he would finally confess and ask her out. Maybe she would say no, but it was worth a shot.

A few minutes later, the pork was done cooking and Alex ate it thoughtfully, disappointed that he didn't have any barbecue sauce to go with it. With his belly full, Alex was now more alert, ready to do what he had to in order to prove himself. Both to himself, and to Lara.


End file.
